on Collaboration

Shahnaz Hussain Pioneer and Leader of herbal care in India She is also a pioneer of Vocational Training in Cosmetology in India.

Does the Indian culture / societal
norms on women prevent themfrom
becoming better entrepreneurs?More than three decades ago, when I
started my career, I felt strongly that
women have the potential to be
successful in the business world. It
was like a latent force that had not
really emerged, because of age-old
traditions that the woman's place is
in the home. Yes, cultural and social
barriers have come in the way of
women becoming better
entrepreneurs, because the view had
always been that the man is the
breadwinner and a career is more
important for him, while the woman
is the home maker.When it came to
acquiring

professional
qualifications, families gave
preference to their sons over their
daughters. But, times have changed.
The last two decades have seen
woman stepping out of her home, to
earn a living, make a career,
establish her own identity and fulfill
her ambitions and dreams. She has
made a mark in every field,
including the world of business. As
a career woman, she has not only
surmounted the barriers of tradition
and social norms, but has also come
to terms with the importance of
holding her own in the outside
world. She has not abdicated her
familial responsibilities and has
shown that she can manage both
home and career successfully. What
is remarkable about Indian women
is not just their achievements in
different fields, but the fact that they have been able to break through the
prejudices and barriers.

Do women make better managers
or better leaders?A woman has what it takes to be
successful as an entrepreneur. For
one thing, while managing her
different roles of wife, housewife,
mother and career woman
efficiently, she has learnt the values
of time-management, patience and
even handling budgets. Women not
only have the courage, inner
strength and foresight that are
necessary to be successful as
entrepreneurs, but are no less than
men when it comes to intelligence,
talents and creativity. For a creative
person, the world of business offers
many avenues, because creativity
leads to innovative ideas.
Translating them into practical
terms is what business is all about.
Today's woman stands side by side
with her male counterpart, as far as
education and higher qualifications
go. In fact, I strongly feel thatwomen
can be extremely dedicated and
single-minded.

Women do have qualities that make
them good managers and leaders.
The biological factor of the woman
being "the gatherer," makes her good
at being able to integrate and
nurture. She can be good at dealing
with people. Indeed, women have
better communication and people
skills. According to recent research,
a woman's brains may be more
efficient with regard to verbal
ability. Her social conditioning and
inherent nature can make her a good
manager. In fact, women manage
their homes, their children and their
family budgets. They know how to
adjust the family income to the
family's needs. They juggle their
different roles efficiently. They
maintain the delicate relationships
and bonds within the family and the
extended family. Women are also
good at organizing and time
management. Where soft core
incentives are concerned, I
definitely feel that women are better
at motivating and encouraging their
juniors. They are certainly more
tolerant, understanding, tactful,
cooperative, consistent and sincere.

Women today have more
opportunities than ever, to pursue
desired life goals. Yet, we see many
of them walking away from their
dreams. When women enter the
professional arena or start families,
they are often forced to see that
"ambition and passion for
recognition" is unwomanly. Do
women lack ambition? (Many also
associate ambition with egotism or
selfishness) How can women
become ambitious about ambition
including cultivating connections
with people, who have the power to
advance their work and publicly
praise their successes?Women do not lack ambition, but
many do sacrifice their own
ambitions for the sake of the male
members of the family. Many
women also find it difficult to juggle
familial and social responsibilities
with career ambitions.